My introduction to Nashville style came 30 years ago, courtesy of Jeanne Dudley Smith, also known as “The White Dress Lady.” Jeanne is well known across the South for making custom wedding gowns and dresses for special events like graduations, confirmations, debutante balls and other big occasions that require a white dress, as so many traditional southern milestones do. She designed my deb dress in the late ’80s. We talk about that process, as well as the incredible story of how she built her business. Caroline Allison took photos.